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TICKERS: BRC; BKRRF

Investment Firm Impressed With Metals Exploration Co.
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The Canadian corporation checks all of the boxes for a compelling investment and offers a 161% potential return, noted a Leede Jones Gable report.

Blackrock Silver Corp. (BRC:TSX.V; BKRRF:OTCQX) just gained research coverage by another financial firm, as Leede Jones Gable initiated on the metals explorer with a Speculative Buy rating and a target price reflecting a 161% return, analyst Ron Stewart reported in a February 13 research note.

"There are multiple attributes that help define a compelling resource project, including its average grade, size and exploration potential, deposit style, metallurgy, and location," wrote Stewart. "To qualify as a compelling investment opportunity, add in corporate governance and relative valuation to that checklist, and you'll be well on your way to understanding why we like Blackrock Silver Corp."

Share Price Could Double

The British Columbia-based silver, gold, and lithium explorer's current price is about CA$0.23 per share, noted Stewart, about 45% lower than the average of its silver-gold company peers. Leede Jones Gable's target price on Blackrock is CA$0.60 per share. In the past 52 weeks, its stock has traded between CA$0.19 and CA$0.46 per share.

"Based on our analysis of the company's flagship Tonopah West silver-gold project, we see excellent opportunity for more than a double to the current share price," the analyst commented.

Blackrock has 222.6 million outstanding shares and a CA$62.1 million (CA$62.1M) market cap.

High-Grade Resource With Upside Potential

In his initiation report, Stewart explained why Blackrock "makes the grade." First is its flagship project, Tonopah West, on the edge of the Tonopah historical and prolific mining district, near infrastructure and consisting of 100 patented and 19 unpatented claims. To own 100% of the project, Blackrock still has to pay the remaining CA$350,000, according to its earn-in agreement with Ely Gold Royalties. The deal also includes Blackrock paying a 3% net smelter return royalty to Ely Gold.

Tonopah West boasts an Inferred resource, from four veins, of 6,100,000 tons of 508.5 grams per ton silver equivalent (508.5 g/t Ag eq), or 100,040,000 ounces of Ag eq.

"The speed and level of success drilling resources on the project is a direct indication [of] its prospectivity," Stewart wrote, indicating that Blackrock commenced drilling in June 2020.

The analyst pointed out the resource's high grade. From drill results of 80 holes, Leede Jones Gable compiled 145 silver-gold drill intercepts having a reported grade of at least 200 g/t Ag eq.

"Nine of the 145 intercepts has a grade-meter product exceeding 5,000, which highlights the bonanza nature of the deposit," he commented.

The resource could potentially be doubled, according to Leede Jones Gable, given the potential for exploration on the property. For instance, the vein array is open along strike between the existing resource blocks.

Also favorable is the metallurgy, noted Stewart. Preliminary testing indicated silver recoveries to be 87% and gold recoveries of 95%.

Leede Jones Gable conceptualized a mine at Tonopah West mine, and calculations showed it would yield, in the base case, a US$314M (CA$419M) after-tax net present value discounted at 5% and a 30% internal rate of return. The capital payback would take 3.1 years. The mine parameters mine used were a 2030 startup, 1,500 tons per day production, a US$23.50 per ounce (US$23.50/oz) silver price, a US$2,050/oz gold price, a 10-year mine life, an all-in sustaining cost of US$13.26/oz of Ag eq and other specifics detailed in the technical report.

Two More Attractive Assets

Just north of Tonopah West is another of Blackrock's projects, Tonopah North, under option to Tearlach Resources.

Tearlach may earn 51% interest in the claims after spending US$5M on exploration by January 9, 2026. Then, it could increase its stake to 70% by spending another US$10M and delivering a feasibility study by January 9, 2028.

Last year, Tearlach drilled 11 core holes at Tonopah North.

"Based on the results, the company believes the project has the potential to host a significant lithium deposit within a 2.9-by-3.6 kilometer target area," wrote Stewart.

Blackrock's third project, Silver Cloud, is also in Nevada but in the Ivanhoe mining district in Nye County. It comprises 552 unpatented lode mining claims. Historically, this property produced mercury and was explored for molybdenum, uranium, and gold. The silver and gold mineralization at Silver Cloud is low sulphidation style, like that of the Hollister and Midas mines in the same district.

Via an agreement with Pescio Exploration, Blackrock may earn and acquire up to 100% interest in Silver Cloud over time. Since 2017, Blackrock has been doing exploration work on the property, including three different drill programs on a trio of targets, which returned positive precious metal results.

What To Watch For

Next up for Blackrock is a drill program, already planned, at Tonopah West "to test resource extension targets," Stewart reported. Results will follow.

Balance Sheet in Good Shape

As for finances, Stewart reported that Blackrock had about CA$3.4M in cash and CA$3.2M in working capital as of January 31, 2024, as estimated by Leede Jones Gable.

Also, the company completed a CA$5.75M financing late in January, proceeds of which it will use to fund the planned drilling at Tonopah West.

Strong Management and Board

Blackrock's leadership, Stewart wrote, consists of seasoned professionals who are experienced and successful in exploration, mine development, project financing, capital markets, and community relations.

At the helm is Andrew Pollard, who has been Blackrock's president and chief executive officer since 2019. His resume includes consultancy to the mining industry through his company, Mining Recruitment Group Ltd., founded in 2005. He has advised numerous public companies, from startups to corporations with a US$1 billion-plus market cap.


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  1. Doresa Banning wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor.
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Disclosures for Leede Jones Gable, Blackrock Silver Corp., February 13, 2024

Leede Jones Gable Inc. (LJG) is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). This document is not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or instrument or to participate in any particular investing strategy. Data from various sources were used in the preparation of these documents; the information is believed but in no way warranted to be reliable, accurate and appropriate. All information is as of the date of publication and is subject to change without notice. Any opinions or recommendations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of LJG. LJG cannot accept any trading instructions via e-mail as the timely receipt of e-mail messages, or their integrity over the Internet, cannot be guaranteed. Dividend yields change as stock prices change, and companies may change or cancel dividend payments in the future. All securities involve varying amounts of risk, and their values will fluctuate, and the fluctuation of foreign currency exchange rates will also impact your investment returns if measured in Canadian Dollars. Past performance does not guarantee future returns, investments may increase or decrease in value and you may lose money. LJG employees may buy and sell shares of the companies that are recommended for their own accounts and for the accounts of other clients. LJG employees may buy and sell shares of the companies that are recommended for their own accounts and for the accounts of other clients. Disclosure codes are used in accordance with Policy 3400 of IIROC.

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  1. LJG and its affiliates collectively beneficially own 1% or more of any class of equity securities of the company as of the end of the preceding month or the month prior to the preceding month if the report was issued prior to the 10th.
  2. The analyst or any associate of the analyst responsible for the report or public comment hold shares or is short any of the company's securities directly or through derivatives.
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Canadian Disclosures This research has been approved by Leede Jones Gable Inc. (LJG), which accepts sole responsibility for this research and its dissemination in Canada. LJG is registered and regulated by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and is a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). Canadian clients wishing to effect transactions in any designated investment discussed should do so through a LJG Registered Representative.

U.S. Disclosures This research report was prepared by Leede Jones Gable Inc. (LJG), a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). This report does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities discussed herein. LJG is not registered as a broker-dealer in the United States and is not be subject to U.S. rules regarding the preparation of research reports and the independence of research analysts. Any resulting transactions should be effected through a U.S. broker-dealer.





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